The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
Find peace in the simple moments of solitude and quiet reflection. It does not require complicated methods of prayer and meditation. Simply quiet the mind, focus on the sensations of this moment, breathe, and become aware in the silence of a steady presence without elation, with no leave, always there, a constant and consistent radiance. It is always there if you recognize it, only the thinking mind masks its presence.
Your mind will become clear with time and practice. It is important to take breaks from your work, however, do not take a break from the practice of being aware in the moment. This you must continue to practice as often as possible. You will find a draw and a desire to do this as your practice improves. When you see attacks, you will feel only compassion. When you see neglect in any form, you will feel only love and understanding. When you face difficulties with others, a sense of Joy will surround you. Through it all, as you remain aware you will know the peace that has no measure.
Endeavor to persevere, what else is there to do? Recognize that allowing the mind to wander may result in thoughts that create suffering, anxiety, anger, and fear. Recognizing this when it happens and meeting it immediately with compassion and forgiveness is an important skill to practice and master. No one who has existed in this form, is without the knowledge of the challenges of the thinking mind and its tendency to drift. Even as we are aware of the advantages of eliminating painful thoughts, the mind’s nature to fall into unskillful thinking will always remain an obstacle. It is best to accept this as part of the experience of this world and return again to the peace of the present moment.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
It is not uncommon to find ourselves stuck in a cycle of negative thinking. While we wish and pray to return to a sense of normalcy, often it seems that we are unable to navigate our way back to a peaceful state. It is known that the ego mind has the ability to go on excursions that are often driven by a misguided desire to right the world, lay judgements upon others, and create delusional worlds of our own making. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that these false states of existence are only the realm of a few misfits, in fact, all beings that have taken human form have experienced the profound effect that the ego mind has on perception. Everyone who has experienced life in this world knows of the power and effect of delusional thinking.
When we find ourselves faced with difficult challenges, it is a common and understandable desire to escape these responsibilities. The egoic mind can be very clever in its attempt to help relieve this suffering by providing a fantasy for the thinker to escape into. These fantasies can include escape into fictional worlds, a retelling of the past in which outcomes were more favorable, holding investigations in the mind to find others guilty for the state of affairs often followed by fantasies of bringing them to justice, and invention of new futures in which things work out in a different way. The ego mind, when fearful, will also tell frightening stories about the demise of the thinker’s life and the end of this world in an attempt to frame current pain and suffering in a meaningful way.
There is a way to relieve ourselves from this agony, it is a simple method but requires practice and discipline. Do not be discouraged if you find yourself unable to immediately feel relief from the effects of the ego’s negative thinking. Be diligent; endeavor to persevere and you will be rewarded with a peaceful state of mind and connection with our true harmonious existence. Remember the simple instructions for the meditative state and focus on developing this skill. Focus on the breath and nothing else, when you catch yourself drifting, return to the breath and be joyful in this return. Do not punish yourself for drifting back into thought for this is the nature of the ego mind, take happiness in your ability to identify the drift and return again to the breath. Think only of this. As you are in this state, become aware of this moment and this moment only. Just for now let go of thoughts of the past and projections of the future, there will be time to recollect and plan later. Just for now we will remain in a thoughtless state thinking only of the breath.
Allow your body to relax and only feel its ability to sense its presence. Notice the feeling of your body being only there, not doing. Feel only the body’s field of sensation at rest. When we release ourselves from the past and the future and focus only on this moment, it becomes easier for us to connect with the divine attributes, love without measure, boundless compassion, unrestrained sympathetic joy, and an equanimous peace that is not confined or limited in any way. It is through connection with these attributes that we can learn to forgive ourselves for the conflict we have created in our lives. Be compassionate and love your body and mind as a true friend. Forgive all mistakes and shortcomings. Be joyful and grateful for yourself. Share this compassion, forgiveness, and gratitude for everyone equally.
Remember, everyone is your ally. Even those whom we may look upon as enemies teach us valuable lessons and give us a reason to be compassionate for their suffering and unskillfulness. Even those who frustrate us are teaching us how to deepen our love and compassion for others. Those who seem to criticize us are giving us a chance to improve. Those who anger us are teaching us patience. Those who love us, are reminding us to return to the divine for guidance. Be comfortable in this moment for as long as necessary and always know that you can return here. For the peace in this moment is your inheritance; your true reality as it has always been.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
It is understandable that we respond to what we perceive. This is the nature of this world and the nature of the thinking mind. It is understandable that, in this form, we respond in a negative way when we perceive events as negative. Likewise, we respond positively when we have a positive perception of events. Remember that all responses that you appear to have made in this world were forgiven in the timeless instant in which this world came into being. Although it seems to take time and practice to forgive the actions of others, in truth, without the hindrance of the ego mind, all things can be forgiven instantly and without a feat of profound spirituality. You possess this means to forgive completely right now in this moment, it is your choice to use it and be liberated from the fear and anger of this world.
Every identity model that we embrace creates a trap which binds us to this world. Have faith then when you release the models of identity that everything has always been as it should be and in this moment you will know peace. Behind all of the actions you are taking, there is another level on which you remain serene in the heart of stillness. Thought forms may come and go during your lifetime here, but the harmony of peace remains through all of it. It’s alright, to shun this idea and participate in attachment to form identity; if you do this it is simply what you did and not something that will be judged. Peace is ready for you at any time you are ready, there is no expiration on this offer. The final judgment occurs when we stop judging.
There were two brothers, while one spent considerable time becoming secure in his identity, the other struggled to understand how to get ahead in this world. The first brother did well in school and earned a scholarship. He went on to higher learning graduating with honors and went on to a successful career, built a family and enjoyed a life of perceived fulfillment with all the comforts of this world around him. The other brother struggled to do well in school and left at an early age turning to a life of crime, drugs, much suffering and pain, and ultimately landed in prison. In prison, he learned to meditate and be comfortable with existence in this present moment regardless of what was and what was not, regardless of pain or sensation; he learned to be at peace with the current state of the world. Eventually, he was able to let go of all desire, was liberated from his ego identities,and learned to live in a state of deep love, compassion, and joy. Later after being released from prison he dedicated his life to helping others find the true source of happiness by finding awareness of this moment and our true home in equanimous peace. Upon meeting his brother later in life, the successful brother was amazed at the serenity and happiness his brother had found. While he still struggled to acquire more and lived in fear of losing what he had or not getting what he wanted, his brother had learned to be at peace with everything as it was. The successful brother believed this could not be and told himself that his peaceful brother must be hiding his jealousy and unhappiness. Truly this was not the case as he felt nothing but love and compassion for his successful brother. It is not what we do and acquire in this world that will fill us with contentment, but what we learn to accept and allow. The secret to this lies before you right now and will always be there for you.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
True compassion is not limited or controlled. It is not directed towards one side, tribe, or nation and denied to another. True compassion is felt equally for the poor person and the rich person. It is felt for the attacker as well as the victim. The reality in this world is that we all suffer. It is the egoic mind that perceives variance in suffering and even believes there are those who do not suffer. To believe an attacker is not attacking due to their misconceptions and unskillful lack of practice is to believe in a delusion. Without suffering, without fear there can be no attack.
To understand this more clearly, be alone. Go into nature alone and rest, comfortably sitting. Think of only your breath feeling the sensation as it enters the body and leaves the body. We do this to clear our mind of thought. As thoughts arise, send them off gently and without contempt. Remember, it is the mind’s nature to think thoughts, it is not to blame or be chastised. You may imagine a stream and allow the thoughts to float away on its currents; you may imagine the wind allowing the thoughts to rise up and become peaceful clouds. Return again the breath after releasing the thoughts and celebrate the joy of silence. Be with me here and I will help you feel compassion for everyone and everything.
It is in understanding that all suffer in this world that we can lay a foundation for compassion that can be practiced and taught. Even as your mind resists and demands to not give compassion to the unworthy, I am here to proclaim that it is given. Don’t worry if you find this difficult, you will eventually come to this understanding even if it takes many lifetimes to do so. It would be better to start now and be free from the task of playing judge and enforcer for the mistakes of others. It is a job I would not have for you and you must let go if you are to be free from the prison of your suffering. To learn to give compassion to all equally is to learn the true nature of your existence and that of others. Hear me now when I tell you that we are one in the same.
I wish things could be different here and that we didn’t have to respond to attacks with counter attacks. It seems endless and pointless.
The following I believe to be a teaching from my inner guru:
On the topic of attack, please know that you are loved and that I have no desire to see you subjected to violence of any kind. It is the nature of your cognitive mind to defend itself. Listen only to the sound of silence and you will see things for what they are. Don’t be afraid of the attacks that spring forth from the illusion of the human mind. This pattern of conflict is repeated in increasing degree throughout all manifestations of matter in your observable world. Examine very small events and you will see conflict at play. Examine large celestial occurrences and you will see demonstrations of the same forces in conflict. Why would you believe that the arising of biological life under these conditions would be immune to the attributes of the underlying forces from which they sprang? Conflict and separation rests at the core of the world in which your physical form resides.
There is a way to escape this struggle. In stillness you will access a place where conflict does not exist. Remain still in comfort and breathe; quiet the thinking mind and respond only to its protestations with loving kindness and compassion. Just as the body digests food so the mind will think it’s thoughts; if we do not respond to them they become only thoughts with no attachment to identity and thus have no effect on self. Celebrate your return to breath and awareness without thought. Remain still for as long as possible, once the mind is quieted bring forth an image of a being at peace and focus on this. Imagine this being is hopelessly in love with everything in existence. This means beyond any hope of a love that is more powerful; an immeasurable love. Imagine this being radiating boundless compassion for everyone and everything. A being with a capacity for forgiveness that is beyond any measure. Imagine this being sharing an eternal joy filled with loving laughter and a knowing sense of oneness. Imagine this being completely at peace, fully acceptant of everything that is here now. Completely desireless and without aversion, doubt, agitation or apathy. Say yes to this moment completely and thoroughly and join with this being in the light of true existence. Know that I am and we are one. The first step in this journey is only a breath away.
Becoming consciously aware is not a difficult challenge. It doesn’t require the study of complicated forms of mathematics or the memorization of rules and regulations. Becoming aware and maintaining awareness does however require willingness. Simple breathing meditation is one effective way to realize conscious awareness. Through repetition of this method we begin to improve our ability to maintain this state. With time it becomes part of our nature and the method that introduced you to conscious awareness may no longer be required. It may be helpful to strip away some of the preconceived ideas regarding the requirements for meditation.
Things you do not need in order to mediate:
A meditation cushion, rug, or special mat
To recite a chant or mantra
Burn Incense or use perfumes
To sit cross legged in the lotus position
Hold your hands in a particular way
A smartphone app or other device
A chime, gong, or singing bowl
Perfect quiet or lighting
The only thing you need to begin your practice of breathing meditation is the ability to breathe and a desire to quiet your mind. In fact you may find that the requirements and accessories you add to your meditation may serve as a distraction to the practice itself. That being said, after time, many practitioners of meditation enjoy some ceremony or rituals in their practice. The important thing to remember is that these are never a requirement.
Start by taking two or three deep cleansing breaths, the exact number is not important. You may wish to close your eyes or focus them somewhere that will not distract your mind. It may be helpful to sit comfortably, but, with practice, meditation can also be done standing or laying down. As you breathe in and out, remain relaxed, and focus on the sensation. The feeling you notice may be the feeling of air on the edges of your nostrils, it may be your abdomen rising and falling, pick one feeling and think only of this as you continue to breathe.
Soon your mind may chime in with a thought, perhaps something you need to do later, something from your past that bothers you. Perhaps a negative thought about the meditation process. When you notice this, take a moment to celebrate the noticing and return again to the breath and the sensation of breathing. Remember that noticing the wandering mind is not a moment for anger or frustration, it is a joyful moment that allows the return. Imagine returning to the breath to be like coming home or embracing a loved one. Your mind may wander many times at first, there is no limit to how many times we may notice distraction and return to the breath. Each time it is a moment to happily come home. With each return from wandering our practice becomes stronger. In summary, here’s what’s required…
Things you need to practice breathing meditation:
Be comfortable and continuously breathe in and out at a relaxing pace
Think only about the sensation of breathing
When you notice your mind wander, happily return to thinking of the sensation of breathing again
As you practice this, you may become aware of the feeling of an energy field throughout your body. Focusing on different parts of your body may help you become aware of this. If you don’t notice this right away, don’t worry, give it time. You may also notice that this energy field extends beyond your body. When we focus only on this moment and release our thoughts of the past and future, we find a place where our problems do not exist. This is conscious awareness in the moment, it is not contingent upon cognitive thought; it has always existed and always will. Conscious awareness was there before our birth and will be there after we leave this place. It is equally present everywhere in the universe. There is no place or environment in which it is weaker or stronger. It pervades everyone and everything equally. By connecting with conscious awareness we connect with a deeper understanding than we could possibly imagine through the thinking mind. All love, compassion, joy, and acceptant immeasurable peace springs forth from it. Every force, particle, field, and wave owes its existence to it. It is the source of all of your inspiration and creativity. It is a priceless gift that, once realized, can never be taken from you. Enjoy.
Zen Momentum 